This invention relates to floating brush seal assemblies. Specifically, this invention relates to axial brush seal assemblies that can float in the axial direction within a gap between two components.
Gas turbine engines that exhibit high axial and radial growth transients between adjacent components during operation typically use a labyrinth seal between the components to control leakage. A labyrinth seal comprises a plurality of teeth extending from a disk on one of the components and a honeycomb pad on the other component. The teeth and the pad cooperate to form a serpentine leakage path between the components. The serpentine path inhibits fluid flow between the components.
However, labyrinth seals have several drawbacks. First, the rigid teeth of the labyrinth seal cannot accommodate a “zero clearance” condition without incurring permanent wear or damage to the teeth. This wear increases the leakage rate of the seal. Second, the leakage rate of the labyrinth seals increases with the increased clearance between the teeth and the pad.